The Unlikely Disciple
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: Ryouzanpaku has only ever trained one disciple. That disciple was Shirahama Kenichi. But what if there were another? A true warrior, trained in combat, not those of the martial arts, but of the darker sort? Not a swordsman, nor a martial artist, but something else entirely? Narutoxharem! Romance, lemons, violence, fluff, gore, etc.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: UNBELIEVABLE! One of my stories, A Queen and Her King, got deleted! All because it had the f-word in the summary! And on top of that, another story I know not which one it is, has disappeared from my list, presumably for not rating it correctly. I'm feeling seriously depressed now. What the heck is this! I strive my utmost on these stories and the admins delete two of them like they're nothing! **

**In others news, I recently got into the History's Mightiest Disciple Kenichi! And I have to say, its quite amusing!**

_"You...can't have him. He's...mine."_

_~Shigure._

**Ninja**

Shirahama Kenichi had a problem. A big problem. He was weak. Also known as "Weak Legs" he was constantly bullied and battered by his senpai and fellow students. To make matters even worse, he now had less than a _week_ to train for a fight with Daimonji. One week. Seven days. Four hundred and twenty hours. As if he could possibly become strong by then! Well, there was one way, one his new acquaintace, Furinji Miu had suggested, but he was absolutely _loathe_ to make the attempt.

In short, he was doomed.

Doomed, I say!

Right?

_Wrong._

In his haste to escape the schoolgrounds, Shirahama Kenich failed to notice where his legs were leading him. That is, until the rhythmic slap of flesh meeting mortar reached his ears; the steady pounding of someone in the midst of workout. Belatedly, he realized where he stood. The gymnasium. Oh no! This was the last place he wanted to be! A shiver ran down his spine, trickling across his skin in gooseflesh. This was where the seniors from the Kendo Club held their daily workout regiment!

Only...no one was here?

"One...Two...Three...Four!"

_Geh!_ Someone was here after all! He had to run! This very instant!

Sweating bullets, Kenichi willed his legs to move _toward_ the sound, not away from it.

...Two...Three...Four!"

He rounded the corner in the gymnasium, and nearly ran headlong into a fellow student. The boy was tall, blond, his whiskered cheeks slick with perspiration. He wasn't even looking in Kenichi's direction so much as he was the ceiling. He knew only that this boy was a student because he wore a school uniform. A senior, perhaps? As Kenichi looked on, his senpai practiced a few punches, grimaced, shook his head. Unannounced, he began to remove his upper layers clothing, beginning with his shirt. Kenichi skittered back around the corner, silently wondering what the student was up to. An just who was he? He'd never seen this guy before!

Barechested, the senior tossed a glance over his shoulder_-Kenichi ducked!-_and, satisfied that he was indeed the only one for miles around, rolled his shoulders to begin.

Exhaling once, the boy began a series of workouts; an inhumane regimen utterly impossible for the human body. First, he fired off a rapid series of punches, each blow drilling against the punching bag with all the force of a small hurricane. When the bag bent but refused to break the blond grunted, taking its sturdiness as a personal affront. He took two steps backward, spun in place...

_"Hiyah!"_

...delivering a bone crushing kick that all but shattered the bag into a thouand fragments of cloth and sand. The blond stood there, regarding the destruction with a frightening complacency. And then he was gone, a swirl of dust the only sign to mark his sudden passage. Some instinct bid Kenichi look up. And it was a good thing he did. He'd only the faintest instant to see the blond standing there, upside down_-on the ceiling!-_icily regarding one of the two remaining punching bags in the gymnasium. The ceiling cratered but did not break; because even as he leapt, even as he streaked to earth like a shooting star, he flung his fist forward, taped knuckles greeting the gritty fabric of the bag.

Seconds later, it met the fate of its kin.

"This is crazy, senpai!" Kenichi whimpered fearfully as the second bag burst, showering him in sand and debris. "A normal human shouldn't be able to do that!" Then again, he wasn't normal, this guy. Not at all. Becaue even as he landed, the senior was already in motion. His fists found the third and final bag with a wet _smaack_ pumping back to and fro like pulleys, tearing into the last remaining obstacle until it was nothing more than dust.

The boy ended it by launching himself into a brutal backflip, further defying the laws of physics. His body arced upward, twisting as he spun, a full circle. He landed, not on his feet as Kenichi supposedhe might, but upon his hands, fingers extended. Biceps bulging from the strain, the student flung himself backwards _using only his arms,_ throwing, all of his strength into another spin, and then another. Each consecutive flip carried him further and further away until Kenichi was forced to run just to keep up with this amazing acrobat. How could he do such a thing? Wasn't it painful?

Didn't it hurt?

Apparently not, as the boy mercilessly mashed his fingers against the mat, uncaring of the ungodly sound it created. For each flip, he added a second consecutive combination of blows, slinging punches and kicks through midair as though they were nothing. And was that orange eye-shadow above his lids? Not that something like that, actually made any difference.

_How is he doing this?_ Kenichi wondered as he watched him move. _Inhuman! He's not human!_

Finally he slowed, his final revolution coming to a grinding hault as his feet hit the floor. His shoulders heaved with th exertion of a healthy workout, his chest rising and falling with even, steady breath. He remained that way for a moment longer, knees bent, elbows locked, fixated at some unknown point in the distance. At some unseen signal all fell from his shoulders; the tension, the anxiety, all of it was gone, just for a moment.

He retrieved the discarded shirt from the floor, wrapping it around his right arm. His gaze swept the room once more, again forcing Kenichi to duck out of sight, and when he'd next returned his gaze to the broken bags, his gaze had become intense. Shirahama Kenichi quivered, such was his glare.

_S-Scary!_

"Not enough." The blond muttered quietly, settling out of his stance. "It's still not enough." His fingers grew taut mangnanimously moldig themselves into fists. Whatever that strange coloration was adjourning his lids, it was gone now, his eyes restored to their natural hue. Those eyes held murder in them. A hate so strong, so intense Kenichi could only begin to wonder at it. What could someone_-anyone-_have done to stir such hatred in this young man?

Ah! Kenichi came back to himself nearly too late; the student was turning to leave!

"Wait!"

The boy stopped in his tracks, his face slowly reappearing over his shoulder as he curiously regarded the one who had spoken. A look of irritation crossed his single eye as he saw the boy; none other than Kenichi himself, the exhausted student standing behind him. He frowned. Pinnioned him with a gaze.

"You saw?" He asked, his words little more than a growl.

"I-I-I didn't see anything!" Kenichi protested, flinging both arms before his face.

There was a silence. Then:

"Good." The boy nodded, whiskered cheeks dimpling in a scowl. "I'm nearly out of chakra. I'd hate to waste the rest of it just to put you under genjutsu."

_"Genjutsu?"_

"Forget you heard anything." The boy waved it off. "Another word and I really will have to put you under." He slung a small traveling bag over his shoulder, where he'd hidden it, Kenichi had no means of knowing. "Oh, and one more thing." He paused, a frightening grin tugging at his lips. "If you utter so much as a single _syllable_ of what you did _not _see to anyone, anyone at all, this will be the least of your worries."

"H-Hai!"

"Please, wait!" It was then that Kenichi made a mistake. He reached outward, his fingers brushing the blonde's shoulder. The result was as immediate as it was violent. Stars_-whole planets!-_exploded before his vision as the upperclassmen rounded on him, driving an elbow into his ribs, driving the wind from poor Kenichi's lungs and easily depriving his body of much needed oxygen. It was like getting hit by a ten ton truck.

Kenichi had time for only a small exclamation.

_"Oh."_

Then he was pushed. Kenichi felt the release of something, deep within the boy. Something raw, all encompassing, and utterly, rechidly vile. It felt as if all the hatred and lust and loathing in all the universe had been compressed into a very small ball, compacted beyond measure, then release as one, gigantic flare. Then he felt as though the world moved out from under him, sucking all the air with it. The words fell from his lips, and suddenly, he was flying. His head snapped forward and the rain boiled around him. The air itself seemed to hurt, he was moving so fast. The blond receded into the distance with uncanny speed.

How far he'd been pushed, he couldn't tell. It seemed to last forever but he knew he had to hit the ground sometime. Oh, he hoped it would be soon. He wasn't all particularly fond of flying, nor of the sensation of weightlessness beneeath him.

But landing was going to hurt.

It _did_ hurt.

His back collided with the grass turf outside, only after hurtling through several layers of concrete and steel. Dazed, Kenichi extended a hand, reaching toward the gaping hole formed by his unnanounced exit. The sound of footsteps clouded his vision as he flopped toward the earh for a second time, gazing up at the evening sun, thrusting its great reddened spikes just beyond the horizon. Above him stood the student; scowling down at him, his single, uncovered eye pulsating an eerie, bloodshot red. Was it...spinning?

"Sorry." He said, almost as an afterthought. "I don't like being touched."

Kenichi didn't care.

Darkness and despair closed in again and he no longer tried to fight them. There was no point. He wasn't sure how many ribs he'd broken, only that it was already, forcing his vision to dim around the edges. So he wasn't entirely certain_-nor was he coherent-_when someone else stepped into his field of vision.

"Ah, Kenichi-san!"

"He'll live." The blond student grumbled, morosely nudging him in the ribs, eliciting a sharp cry of pain.

"Naruto-san, what were you thinking!" Kenichi had the faintest satisfaction of watching his attacker stagger, struck from behind by a vicsiouc karate chop. The blonde recoiled, eye flaring, but restrained himself from striking at the last instant. And Kenichi, through his steadily darkening vision, saw why. Kneeling beside him, alternating between fury and empathy, was the new transfer student he'd only just met, Furinji Miu.

_"Miu...san?"_

"He touched me." The blond accused, as though this somehow explained everything.

"He's my first friend!" The transfer student retaliated, furiously. "Just because he touched you doesn't give you the right to kill him!"

"Shigure-chan doesn't hit me." Naruto grumbled, but his tone was sullen. _"She_ never hits me."

"Carry him home!" Miu demanded.

_"Eh?"_

"I said carry him back to the dojo!"

"Shigure-chan would ask nicely." Naruto was sulking now, arms folded across his chest, petulant. _"She_ wouldn't scream at me."

"Well, I'm not Shigure!"

These were the last words Shirahama Kenichi heard before the blackness consumed him.

**A/N: And there you have it. Just a small something to tide the masses over. I'm seriously upset at the loss of A Queen and Her King, and, seeing as I didn't think to back it up, that story is, unfortunately, cancelled T_T Anyway, I hope ya'll enjoy this story! Have at ye! The pairing (for now) is NarutoxShigure, an of course Ken**

**R&R! =D**


	2. The Unlikely Disciple

**A/N: Damnit, I gotta say it...I love History's Strongest Disciple! Only recently finished watching the show, now I'm up to chapter 484 in the manga! Looking forward to the next chapter already! I feel so sorry for him though, always getting cockblocked every time he tried to get close to Miu-chan! **

**Have no fear though! Kenichi will _still_ become his awesome canon self, targeted by Ragnarok and Yomi! just as he is in the managa. As for Naruto...oops! That would be telling! Simply put this is going to be epic in length and awesomeness! I'd also like to th****ank you everyone, for liking and reviewing this wonderful little ficlet so much. Hopefully FF. Net won't take it down, which is a very real possibility, given what I have planned for the next few chapters.**

_"I will become the greatest disciple the world has ever known. And when I die...it will be in peace."_

_~Uzumaki Naruto._

**The Unlikey Disciple**

Shirahama Kenichi awoke to a jarring pain his ribs.

"Where-ow!"

Like a red hot poker, a burning coal embedded in his side, it ached whenever he moved. Breathing in of itself, once a simple task, was now an arduous chore. What happened? Thinking was painful. Every thought felt a hair slower than it should, like he wading waist deep through water. He remembered being at the school. Taking shelter in the gymnasium. He remembered those blazing red eyes...then nothing.

Wincing, he sank back down amongst the pillows, amongst the blankets, amongst-EH? This wasn't his bed! This wasn't his room, either! What was he doing here! Indeed, Tte ceiling at which he stared did not belong to his house. Nor was it that of his home. He sat up. Flopped back down when his ribs screamed at him. A throaty cry erupted from his throat, flaring out through his limbs in a spasm of white-hot agony. Ouch!

Groaning, scrubbing the sleep from his eyes, he rose, propping himself up on his elbows. He hazarded a glance down at himself. At his ribs. They were bandaged, taped down to prevent any unnecessary movement. He glanced around at his surroundings, they were spartan, barely furnished save the cot upon which he lay and the sliding door laying opposite him and the glass of water set a this bedside. Fumbling for the glass, Kenichi down its contents in a single gulp, heaving a heaty sigh as he cooled his parched throat.

"Hello?" he called. "Is anyone there?"

No response.

Rising, gingerly fingering his ribs, Kenichi pulled himself out of bed. His body protested. Lie down, it said. Go back to sleep, it said. Rest, for just a little while longer. Shirama, though a stranger, to pain and fatigue dutifully ignored these emotions as he limped forward, straining for the door. Laughter sounded just beyond. Kenichi froze. This was not mirthful laughter that he heard. Rather, it was that same, bloodthirsty laugh he'd experienced back in the gymnasium, though this time it was laced with pain and bemusement:

"Shigure-sensei...not so rough."

"Its your own...fault." A woman's voice answered softly.

Another grunt.

Kenichi gawped at the sounds coming from beyond.

What exactly awaited him beyond this paper thin veil?

Shivering with trepidation and anticipation,, he wrapped his fingers around the edge and pulled, silently dreading whatever he might find beyond. He pulled the rice paper panel aside, and found himself face to face with a scene straight out of movie, though whether it could be labaled a romance or an action flick was in debate. He also found himself staring at the one responsible for his broken ribs, though it could easily be said he was in a worse spot now than Kenichi had been previously.

He was looking at a wide open yard just outside, and within it, the mastermind behind his arrival here.

Narto stood out in the yard, no longer clad in his student unifom. He wore a loose fitting obi and hakama and his shoes were gone, replaced by socks and sandals and he was staring intently at one of the most beautiful women Kenichi have evern seen. Black hair lofted around a heart shaped face from which eyes of pure violet shone. Her body was that of a goddess, beyond description, so Kenichi didn't bother describing her. And why would he,_ how could he,_ when he saw what she was wearing. Still, his pain-numbed mind felt obligated to at least make the attempt.

Indeed, what she wore was most certainly not for the faint of heart. Her pink kimono was several sizes too short and clung to her every curve, leaving her bulging bosum and rotund rear, practically exposed, her thighs clad in those black stockings...

Kami, he got a nosebleed just looking at her! He daren't look at her any longer, for fear of drawing her attention

Naruto faced off against the swordswoman, loosely gripping a longsword_-a nodachi, Kenichi recalled-_in either hand. His blue eyes glittered with anticipation and a small smile stole its way over his feature. Almost before he'd thought to speak of it, the student's smile erupted into a mirthful grin; it was a gorgeous streak of white in the afternoon.

"You sure about this, sensei?" He gave each blade a practice swing. "I've been practicing with twin swords since we last sparred. I won't be losing this time." Kenichi balked as one of the stone _buddha _statues toppled to the earth lacking its head as the blond complete his prepatory slice. Decapitated. With a single swing! Oni! Akuma! Demon! Memories of what he'd born witness to prioir came crashing down around Kenichi's ears, filling the boy with fear and trepidation.

The woman nodded.

"Come...Naruto."

The blond criss-crossed his blades before him in an X and lunged at her.

"You asked for it!"

With that, the spar began in earnest.

The blond let loose, swinging one of his twin swords down at the woman; it was a strong vertical cut, bellying the strength behind it. The woman didn't bother to dodge. She parried, the tapered tip sliding off the edge of her own blade-most certainly a katana-to whistle harmlessly pass her head. The blade narrowly missed her face-so close it cut a bit of hair, which drifted prettily away. Naruto laughed and skipped backwards, even as she blurred forward. His weapon blured as well, falling into a desperate parry as she struck at his chest, at the opening he'd presented her. Instead of striking flesh he struck steel, sparks splaying between the two crossed blades as they warred against one another, master and student, battling for dominance. But the student still wielded an extra blade.

He jabbed that blade forward at her face.

Kenichi nearly covered his eyes, such was his fear. Naruto was going to kill her!

Thankfully he did not, or he would have missed what came next, for steel struck empty air.

The woman nodded curtly as she disengaged, skipping backward to an acceptable distance. Gingerly she threaded a hand through her hair, frowing as it came away with a few strands of black. Still frowning, she took a hand away from her weapon and yanked the bow from her wrist, using it instead to tie her hair back into a long ponytail. The student's smile dimmed somewhat at this. He lowered his weapon shoulders drooping at the sight of her new hairstyle.

"I liked you better with your hair down, Shigure-sensei." he pouted.

The swordswoman raised her blade in silent challenge, though she did not reman unspoken for long.

"Make me...then."

Taking her words as a personal affront, the blond erupted into motion, swinging both nodachi as one. This time, Shigure did not retreat. She merely raised her blade, prepared to weather the storm at its center. Sparks fled from their blades like prey chased from its den as the two combatants collided, the ground quaking beneath their feet. North and south east and west, Naruto struck from all these angles and more and yet he could not seem to touch her; his blades passing within millimeters of her as she dodged each one. Frustrated, the blond changed tactics. He swung low and high; aiming to take out her legs or arms.

Shigure jumped, alighting atop the flat of lower blade, impeccably parrying the second. Even buffeted as she was by the gale behind the slash, she didn't so much as bat an eyelash.

"You're slowing down." She observed plainly, gazing down at him from atop his sword.

"Am I?" The blond swung his sword, forcing his mentor to leap dpwn and away, to distance herself from him once more for a mere moment. It was all the opening anyone would ever need, but Naruto made no use of it inthe slightest. Instead to Kenichi's dismay, he did the opposite, his shoulders slumping, his eyes drifting shut. coul gapwed as the bo

"Perhaps I should get serious, then."

When he opened them again, the blue was gone, replaced by gold. His irises had become inverted, Kenichi saw, parralel slits stretching across the saffron. Likewise his lids suffered a transformation as well, dusting that darkness aside into the faintest orange shadows. The blond smirked one last time before discarding the second blade and charging forward, gripping the singular weapon with both hands.

Shigure was suddenly forced back, but her face never expressed any sort of shock at Naruto's sudden increase in speed or power. She simply blocked the strike, his feet coming up behind him as he pressed forward into her blade. He finally flipped over her, sparks spitting off their clashing swords as he flew behind her. He bolted forward again, his sword swinging rapidly at her. She blocked each strike with controlled movements, her calm demeanor never wavering as his onslaught continued.

Kosaka Shigure flew back calmly as Naruto attacked her. She parried each strike with a trained precision, each blow that was meant to strike her was deflected as though she was an instructor. While the blonde's speed and strength had multiplied in time with the release of his sage mode, he still fought like one untrained with the sword; like a beginner. His style and attack patterns were the exact same. They were predictable.

And then there it was. The opening that he always left her: _left-right-left-right-downward stroke to the upper left._ Shigure easily dodged the strike, the slashing of the sword moving in slow motion to her well-trained eyes. She leaned back ever so slightly, the tip of his nodachi barely missing the tip of her nose by a few inches. She immediately parried, _her _nodachi swinging upwards to strike his newly exposed belly.

The attack never landed. Her sword slashed trough the empty air as Uzumaki Naruto dove beneath and between her legs, elicting the faintest of breezes. Kenichi felt his nose erupt at the sight availed of him, of those white panties beneath the pink kimono. _Gods!_ His eyes bulged as Shigure's widened, the faintest of rosy pink hues dusted the woman's cheeks. There was something distinctly_...perverted_ about that move. And then it was over. Even as the blond rolled to his feet and came to his knees, even as turned to face his master, her blade found his throat. Kenichi gasped. To move now was tantamount to disaster. To death.

"I...win." The smallest of smiles pulled at the woman's lips. "Again."

Naruto grinned.

"Actually, its _my_ victory, sensei."

-as the torn bow fluttered away, leaving a curtain of raven tresses to spill down her back. Her eyes flew wide open, surprise and shock shattering the smile like so much glass. Naruto's grin spoke volumes. Clearly, this was a first time occurrence. His strike had sundered the bow binding her hair, nothing else. To be able to strike with such precision...

"How's that, master?" The blond asked, grinning up at her across the length of steel.

"You're...getting better." She spoke strangely, Kenichi realized, pausing in midsentence before she finished speaking. Inevitably he found his attention drawn back to Naruto, to the swordsman, as he both reached and sheathed his dual edged nodachi. Despite what he'd witnessed, Kenichi balked at this. That one could wield two swords _simultaneously_ was a feat in and of itself, let alone a sword meant to be wielded with both hands.

People like that actually lived here?

_'This place is scary!'_ he began to back away, hoping not to draw attention to himself as he turned toward what he hoped was the exit._ 'I've got to get out of here! I've got to-_

He slammed facefirst into a wall. At least, it felt like a wall. Shirahama Kenichi found himself staring up, up, _up_into the bearded face of a massive man, shaped like a mountain Beneath the green tunic he wore, his very body rippled with muscle, likely sculpted from years of rigorous training. Even his golden hair and long, flowing beard were distinguished. And those gauntlets...he wouldn't want to be on the receivin end of those. This was a dangerous man, his mind screamed at him. A dangerous man from whom Kenichi needed to flee as swiftly as possible!

"So, what business do you have here, young man?" he asked.

"N-None at all!"

Kenichi tried to run, he really did.

But the moment he rounded the corner, he found himself face to face with the jolly green giant once more. He'd gone from being in the same room with him one minute, to taking the corner, the next. Kenichi scrabbled back like a drunken crab, babbling nonsenicalites.

"Warp?" He gawped, unable to comprehend just how quickly the elder had moved. "Is this a warp?"

"You seem to have a rather serious look on your face." the elder noted. "Are you alright?"

Kenichi sputtered helplessly.

"I...

"Oi, elder!" Naruto's voice shouted around the corner. "Is dinner ready yet! I wanted to-

He froze upon seeing Kenichi.

"So I didn't kill you after all." Whatever mirth the blond might have displayed during his spar drained out of his face the instant he saw Kenichi. He spared a glance at the boy's bandaged ribs. "Pity." He elbowed his way past, but before he could escape, the elder restrained him with a massive hand. The blond bristled at the invasion of his personal space but made no move to lash out as he'd done at Kenichi. Perhaps he too, feared the might of his man. That, or he was simply too tired to care.

"Now now Naruto-kun, where are you going?" the elder asked.

"To the roof." The blond replied gruffly. "Shigure-san's waiting for me up there."

"Don't you want to meet our new guest?"

"I already met him." The blond pointed out, refusing to meet Kenichi's gaze. "Remember? Miu made me drag him back here."

"She did, didn't she? Well, in that case, I leave him in your capable hands."

Naruto growled.

_**"Don't you fucking dare-**_

But the elder was already gone.

"Damnit." Naruto hissed, momentarily forgetting Kenichi. "How does he do that? I've got to get Furinji to teach me it sometime...

"Miu-san?"

"Oh, yeah." Naruto blinked. "She wanted to see you _if_ you woke up." Something about the way he said '_if'_ set something off in Kenichi. It could've been the fear talking. Perhaps it was exhaustion. Or maybe just maybe he was tired of seeing people who continiously broke the fourth wall belittle and berate him for circumstancs beyond his control. Regardless he found himself lunging forward, finger thrust imposingly at his captor. Even in his rage, he knew better than to touch the blond.

"What the hell is wrong with you, blond!" he was cursing himself the moment the words left his lips, but he was too angry, to take them back. "Are you some kind of massochist or something? Or do you really have that big of a stick up your ass?" Too late, he realized his words. Whatever shred of courage he'd had was summarily shredded in the wake of the bone-jarring jujitsu throw as the blond grabbed Kenichi by the wrist and gave a titanic wrench. The world inverted itself for a moment before Shirahama understood the graveness of his situation; because the floor was rushing up to greet him like a long lost friend.

'Oh-

_Ground._

His ribs screeched at him as he lay there, choking and gaspin for breath. Before the idea of escape could even occur to him, his senpai as there, looming over him, silent as a god, eyes glowing menacingly as though an inner flashlight were being shone behind his retina, filling them with eerie white light. It was terrifying to say the least, but not nearly as terrifying until the blond leaned forward to snarl in his ear:

_"Wanna say that again, gaki?"_

"Where," Kenichi gasped, clutching at his ribs, "Where, did you learn to move like that?"

"I don't see how its any of your business," the blond countered, pausing to wrench the boy upright and to his feet. "My secrets are my own."

"O-Oh...

Dejected, Kenichi was about to turn away, about to admit defeat, when the blonde's reached around and grabbedhim by the shoulder. He froze, bound by the strength behind that simple gesture. It was as if a vice had locked around his collarbone; such was the student's grip. An iron claw, from which he'd no hope of escaping. He had no doubt that deep bruises were already forming beneath his skin. Coupled with the already brused albeit healing ribs, and young Shirahama found himself in a world of pain.

"Ah...that hurts...

_"Ryouzanpaku." _his gaze slid toward the sign at the edge of the dojo, barely visible in the fading rays of daylight_._

"Eh?"

The blond drew back, releasing him.

"This is where Shigure-sensei taught me." A grimace of self-castigation. "Well, I already knew the wall-and-water-walking technique long before I met her. Sage Mode before that," But alas his words fell upon deaf ears for Kenichi had stopped listening at the mention of Ryouzanpaku. The world faded to black as the boy prattled on, blissfully unaware of the eerilly silent Shirahama.

_'Ryouzanpaku?'_ Kenichi couldn't believe his ears. _'Isn't that the name of the dojou Miu-san mentioned? The name of...this dojou' _It took everything he had to keep his jaw locked, to keep it from falling to the floor._ 'This guy...this guy actually trains here?' _

"What's...taking so long?"

Looking behind him, he saw the beautiful woman from before, hanging upside down looking at him in her usual expressionless face. Her gaze was fixated pointedly on the blond, however and she seemed to be ignoring Kenichi.

"Ah!" Kenichi screamed! "Naruto-san! Behind you!"

"Ah!" Naruto cried, his anger instantly forgotten as he saw her. "Shigure-chan!"

"Dinner's getting...cold." She said slowly.

"I'll be there in a minute." He reassured her, pausing to shoot a scathing glance at Kenichi. "I've just gotta bring him to Miu...

"Who is...?"

"M-My name is Shirahama Kenichi!" Realizing his awkwardness, Shirahama swiftly bowed. "P-Pleased to make your acquaintance!" Shigure stared him up and down a moment longer before returning her gaze to Naruto with a pointed stare. Detaching herself from the ceiling, she shot the blond a curious expression.

"Disciple?"

"HELL NO!" Naruto shouted. "Even if I was a master, I'd never train this kid!"

"Oi!" Kenichi snapped back. "You're not that much older than me!"

Naruto gave him a scathing glare, and in his mind's eye the eighteen year old seemed to age thrice his years.

"I'm older than you think, you little runt."

Kenichi shivered. He didn't want to end up on the receiving end of another Jujitsu throw or Muay Thai technique. Still, his curiousity compelled him.

"She is...?

Naruto grinned.

"She's my sensei, of course!" he puffed out his chest, returning to his youthful exuberance. "The Prodigy of Sword and Mistress of all Weaponry, Kosaka Shigure!" He draped an arm around her shoulders for emphasis and it was with some surprise that Kenichi watched the woman turn towards the blond ever so slightly. "The...best." She seconded the words of her apprentice while plating both hands on her hips, despte the fact that there remained no change in her expressionless visage. Together, master and student looked quite the pair.

"Is there any chance you could...well, maybe...

He took a deep breath, swallowing his fear.

"Are there any masters of karate or any other martial arts here?" Another gulp. "Like yourself?"

"There might be." Naruto replied stonily. "You aren't thinking of training here...are you?"

"I might be...master."

Naruto guffawed.

_ "Me?"_ He laughed, the words ripe with incredulity. "Teach you? Like I said...HELL TO THE NO! If you want to learn karate that badly go see Sakaki-shisou!" A knowing grin stole its way across his features. "Though, I'd bet you wouldn't even be able to last three days under his tutelage." He shuddered on a sudden, as though experiencing a hellish memory. "I barely made it myself..."

Shigure patted him on the back.

"There...there...

"Was it that bad?" Kenichi asked.

Naruo pinnioned him with a gaze.

"Think of the most painful, horrifying experience you've ever been through." When Kenichi had done so, he continued. "Now, multiply it by a trillion."

Shirahama balked.

"Naruto...let's go." Shigure prodded him. "Dinner's...cold."

"Alright." He gave Kenichi one last glance, and surprisingly, his was filled with sympathy. "Look...I respect what you're doing, but whatever you've come here for...just forget it. Go back to your old life, Kenichi. This is no place for the weak of heart." With that master and her apprentice left Kenichi alone in the dark, leaving him to stew in his own thoughts. In his own misery. In his anger. Now Shirahama Kenichi had no reason to rise to the blonde's words, honest though they were. In all honesty he was quite terrified of this place and couldn't bear to be within it a second longer. This Sakaki fellow sounded dangerous. For the mere thought of him to evoke such dread in the blond, now a hardened warrior, did not bode well for anyone wishing to train under him.

But a thorn of pride pricked at Kenichi and held him back.

He was tired of being weak. Of not being able to protect anyone.

"I'll show you!"

His fists clenched.

"I'll show you!"

His teeth clenched.

"I'll...I'll do it!" He resolved. "I'll train here!" In a weeks time, he'd face down Daimonji and beat him! "I'LL SHOW EVERYONE!

"Then you'd best start eating to restore your strength."

Kenichi started as Naruto hung down over the roof, his blue eyes glittering deviously. In his hand he held two bowls of ramen. Before Kenichi could protest he shoved one at him, forcing his fellow studnet to juggle the bowl lest it spill into his lap. Eventually he caught it, though not without sloshing the broth all over the place. Kenichi couldn't help himself. Not at the sudden hunger that stirred within him at being presented with real food after hours of starvation, nor at the sudden realization that he'd been made a dupe.

"Y-You tricked me!"

"Perhaps." The blonde's grin grew as he sipped from his own bowl. "I can't stand weaklings, but I was weak once too, ya know?" He paused to consider. "Well, not really, but you get the picture." He held up a hand before the boy could protest, forestalling further conversation. "Now, seriously. Eat that, then go home. Come back here at Seven A.M. sharp tomorrow morning. I'll see if I can get the old man to accept you maybe even Sakaki to teach you." He snickered at the last part before ducking back out of sight.

"Th-Thank you, master!" Kenichi shouted up at him.

Naruto's whiskered face promptly reappeared, fixed in a scowl.

"For the last time, I am NOT a master!" He made a shooing gesture with his free hand. "Now, shoo! Let me enjoy my rame in peace!"

Shigure shook her head as, together, they watched the boy leave, ramen bowl in hand. It was not until the boy passed through the gate and rounded the corner that she dared to speak. She fixated her disciple with a quiet stare, one that had elicited the truth from him many a time before. This time however the blond mad a point of not looking at his master. Shigure scooted around to face him. Still he refused to make eye contact with her, intent on his bowl of ramen. Inwardly, she felt a touch of pride. Her apprentice was learning. And yet he still had so much to learn. Such were her thought as Shigure crawled into his lap. She was immediately was rewarded by a small hiss of surprise from her student.

Naruto froze.

Stiffened really, as she sat there, shifting until her back lay against his chest, forcing him to acknowedge her prescence with the softness of her form. He lay frozen for a moment longer before he slumped forward, eyes reluctantly acknowledging her own. From there, it was only a matter of time before he told his mistress what she wanted to know.

"I thought...you hated him." Shigure began, softly.

"He reminded me of myself." Realizing he wouldn't be eating ramen anytime soon, the blond set his bowl aside on the rooftop. "A long time ago."

"Does that mean your going to teach him?" she asked, gazing up at the stars.

"No." Naruto shook his head, tickling the back of her neck with his nose. "The secrets I know will die with me."

"They don't...have to."

Naruto caught something in his master's tone just then. A snippet of strangeness. A snatch of something more. He carefully ignored it.

"What I've been taught doesn't exist here." He argued, but his words were soft. "And it never should. Better they die with me than spawn another disaster like before."

Shigure said nothing.

She knew of Naruto's secret. All of Ryouzanpaku did. He did not hail from this era, nay, not even this century. He was a shinobi, a forgotten warrior of ages past. By some misbegotten accident he'd been hurled here, to this time period, at the climax of a great battle. The Fourth Great Shinobi War, he'd called it. Akisame had spent nearly a month tending to his injuries when they'd found him on their doorstep three years ago. His body was unlike any other, even in this era of masters. It held what was called "chakra" a mysterious energy that allowd him to perform all manner of techniques, what he called jutsu. It also contained an unpseakable terror that could destroy the world. There was a madman after him who wanted this creature for his own, so that he might rule the world. He refused to elaborate further, lest he make them complicit. One could only hope the fiend hounding at his heels would never find him here. Here, where he was surrounded by friends, where he was safe from that wicked wicked man.

Here, with her.

They hadn't been especially close when he'd first come arrived. Three years had changed that, and the memories they'd made over those years filled her with warmth to this day. They were still young, the both of them but even so, she couldn't begin t describe the joy she felt when she was with him, when he'd displayed interest in taking up the art of the weapon, in learning from her.

Once his wounds were healed, she had been the one to insist he continue his stay at Ryouzanpaku. Over the years he'd come to learn from each of them and in turn they'd come to accept him as their own. The Unlikely Disciple, Miu's grandfather had called him, and the title rang true even now, as they considered taking on another disciple. They'd put Naruto through some of their worst training, convinced he would be able to take the worst they had offer and he had. He'd taken the best and worst they'd had to offer...and her heart alongside them.

"Do you want to die alone, Naruto?" The question left her lips before she could take it back, surprising Shigure. She hadn't meant to ask that; because she was terrified of the answer. Of what he might say. She'd never loved anyone as much as she'd loved him. He was her first. Her first kiss, first love, first...everything. He'd been the first male she'd ever shown interest in and over time, she hoped he'd grown to reciprocate the depth of those feelings. She'd always hoped. Always. But she'd never known. Until now.

The Unlikely Disciple sighed at her question.

"Of course not."

Relief flooded her, but only partially.

"Is it me...?"

"No!" He snapped back, then, as if realizing the severiy of his words, pulled her backwards into an embrace. "No." He said, sftly. "Of course its not you. It's not me, either." He kissed the back of her neck, sending silent shivers of ecstasy racing down her spine. "I love you you know that right?" She nodded, turned her head into his chest, pushed it against his neck. Of course she knew? How could she not? She'd known every since that fateful day; ever since they realized his body was slowly failing. The corrosive energies of his tenant were never meant to withstand the jutsu he'd endured, never meant to encounter the catalyst thatd catapaulted him here and into her arms. He might have a few years left, Akisame said. A decade, if he didn't push himself. Or he might have only a few months. His health and temperment changed by day, leaving it difficult to predict a method of treatment. How ironic, that the event which brought them together be the very thing to rip them apart. The irony was not lost on her.

Neither were his lips, as they pushed softly against hers beneath the light of the full moon.

"Then why...?" she asked, as he broke the hiss.

He shook his head.

"I don't know, Shigure-chan." he admitted. "I only know I don't want anyone to live the life I've lived. I want to enjoy the time I have left, as much as possible. I want to do right by everyone, by you, and by myself the way only I can. If that means I'll die in a few years, or a few months, then that's fine. I don't regret any of it, anything, any of this time I've spent with you and Ryouzanpaku." He turned away then, gazing longingly, at the stars in the raiment of heaven, any number of which could have been where he hailed from. "Beyond that, well, I just...I really...

_"I really don't know."_

**WARNING: LONG AUTHOR'S NOTE AHEAD!**

**A/N: OMYGOSH. Naruto might...die? That's a surprisingly morbid twist for me but its crucial to the part of this story. How long does he have left indeed? We all know he wont be able to sit still an do nohing for a decade. That's just now Naruto. As I said, he might have years, he could only have a few months. Having something that nasty sealed within him, and then having it neary ripped up out of your body, only to be catapaulted across space and time, welll...that'd leave one hell of a roadrash.**

**A/N: I think its quite obvious Naruto has been taking lessons from Ma Kensei. I mean that tuck and roll was practically trademarked by the wily ol' perv. He's not quite master class, but then again neither is he a rookie. He's learned a little bit from everyone. Muay Thai from Appachi. Chinese Kenpo from Ma. Karate from Sakaki. Jujitsu, courtesy of Akisame. Mastery of weaponry from Shigure obviously; demonstrated in this chapter. Wondering how he ended up here? Well, that would be telling. Suffice it to say he wasn't born in this era, but neither did he intend to arrive in it. As made evident by usage of Sage Mode, however brief he can maintain it in this world, this is SHIPPUDEN Naruto we're talking about, in his last year of highschool.**

**Alright then. A few more notes before I head off to the ol' job!**

**Pairing has been changed to harem. Miu belongs to Kenichi, however. I think those two are cute together, despite the fact that the ol' boy keeps getting cockblocked whenever there is any sort of decent opportunity. I mean, the most they've done thus far is hold hands! AAAARGH! Anyway, we'll get to see Ragnarok next chapter, and Naruto meets Kisara! I look forward to reading all of you (r) reviews when I get back from work tonight at midnight!**

**So...would you kindly review? **

**R&R! =D**


	3. Disciple of a Disciple?

**A/N: Yo! Been a long time hasn't it? I haven't touched this story for quite awhile, although i've faithfully kept up with the manga. In recent news, my computer has crashed and I won't be able to have it fixed until tomorrow (hopefully) at the earliest, thereby leaving me with this crappy backup that likes to LAAAAAAAAG. I barely managed to update yesterday as it was! As for that, I'm sorry to have kept all you guys and girls waiting for the next chapter and thusly, apologize for its shortness. We seesome action in this one!**

**And now... **

**...back to the awesomness!**

_"You...You...You piece of shit! How dare you act so high and mighty!"_

_~Kisara._

**A Disciple's...Disciple?**

Shirahama Kenichi arrived the next morning to a storm of fists.

Finding the door mysteriously ajar, he'd entered, thinking nothing amiss save the for the strange, rhythmic _thwack-thwack-thwack_ sound near the garden. There was no one there to greet him, nor did anyone emerge to turn him away, so he continued onward. At the time he hadn't thought much of the lack of activity in the dojo, nor the fact that none of the masters he'd met yesterday were nowhere to be seen.

He still hadn't thought much of it...

...until he reached the yard.

Naruto was there just as before, as were the masters. Today, however, their disciple wielded no weapon. Only his fists. In place of the basic _gi_ he'd worn yesterday, today, Naruto had chosen to don an unremarkable black sleeveless vest ,complete with matching shorts. If he noticed Kenichi's arrival, he made no metnion of it; bounding as he was on the balls of his feet, raising his gloved hands and sweat-slicked arms to ward off his opponent's blows.

He squared off against a great giant of a man who_-though not nearly as tall as the elder-_looked to be quite intimidating in his own right; with his glowing white eyes, massive muscles, and chiseled frame. Not to mention those rapid-fire piston punches of his, tearing leaves from the air as though they were nothing at all!

Apachi Hoppachai,

_"Apapapa!"_ The Shinigami of Muay Thai chanted the words like a mantra as he showered the blond disciple with a barrage of bone-breaking punches and body blows. Naruto suffered through each one, grounding himself, and raising his gloves in a guard, tossing in blows of his own whenever his opponent's guard allowed. If Appachi was a hurricane, constantly moving, never at rest, lashing out with pure destructive power, then he was the eye.

Calm and at peace, weathering the full wrath of the storm with a keen and practiced ease that bespoke of years of harshly imbued training, both physical and mental. Such training, must've taken years to obtain, least of all accept, Kenichi realized as he watched master and student square off for another round.

_And he wanted to learn this much in a week?_

"Good job, Naruto!" The giant declared loudly, driving his clenched knuckles forward in a wild haymaker. "Now try to block this one! **APPUNCH!" **Appachai's fist barreled through the boy's guard as if it were nonexistent; smashing into the blonde's unprotected face like a freight train. For a long moment there was silence; not just amidst the masters but in the compound itself. As though they knew this was only the calm before the storm; and they were waiting for it to erupt once more. The silence seemed stretched on into eternity. Impassable. Unbreakable

Shigure was the one who shattered it.

"Go...Naruto." She raised a fist in the air and pumped it slowly, back and forth. Her words, this simple act of encouragement, produced an inexplicable result.

_Because the Unlikely Disciple moved._

Naruto said nothing, but he struck like a serpent, yelling his fury and giving his body the sharp countertwist that made his kicks so blindingly fast and powerful. Kenichi, who was looking straight at him, barely saw the strike. Naruto's shin, crushed against Appachi's unprotected stomach. For all the good it did him. Appachai laughed; _laughed_, as though the vicsious blow actually tickled, rather than tormented. Naruto opened his mouth to reply but never made it; his visage crumpling in pain against some unseen attack.

And then it was over.

The blow barreled into the blond's face with gusto, bending his nose and destroying the capillaries in his nostrils. Blood spilled onto the ground, spurted through the air as Naruto's body was launched flying, back colliding with the adjacent stone wall surrounding the dojo, mere feet from where Kenichi stood. For a moment, Shirahama swore he'd heard the creak of bone. Brick and mortar broke against Naruto's body seconds later, crashing down on his shoulders as he slumped down to the floor. Their was a collective wince from the masters, Shigure chief amongst them, when the disciple made no effort to rise. All assembled looked to her.

"Shigure-don?" Ma Kensei gestured.

_'What is she...?'_

The mistress of weapons was already striding forward, bending down to check for a pulse. She didn't even deign to glance at Kenichi, as she bent lower still, either ignorant of simply uncaring for the boy's flush whilst she whispered into the ear of her inert disciple. Whatever she said it must've worked; because Naruto jerked back to life with a gasp, blue eyes bulging so large Kenichi was almost certain they'd fall right out of his head.

Shigure tuned to flick her fellow masters' a thumbs up.

"He's...alright."

"As expected of Shigure,"Akisame nodded.

"Ah, crap." Kenichi heard Sakaki mutter. "I thought we lost him for a minute there. More importantly...you need to learn how to hold back, Appachi!"

"Sorry!" the giant exclaimed aghast, fearing the worst for his disciple. "Appachai is sorry!"

"No, it's alright." The Unlikely Disciple spat out a bloody gob. "Your punch didn't do that to me." He wiped the blood away from his mouth with the back of a hand and, with some assistance from Shigure, managed to find his footing. Then, and only then, did his blue eyes finally settle upon Kenichi. As if that were his cue, Kenichi suddenly felt everyone's eyes on him; abruptly realized that everyone had finally been made aware of his prescence.

"So you came after all, gaki!" Naruto grinned. "I'd thought you'd chicken out."

"M-Me?" Ignoring the knocking of his knees, Kenichi forced himself to speak. "N-Never!"

Naruto snorted as he stood on his own power.

"Oi, Shirahama...

"H-Hai?"

"You _do_ know Miu lives here, don't you?"

The silence was his answer.

"You really didn't know?"

"..."

"You didn't! Oh man, that's rich-_gack!"_ The blond started to laugh; his mirth quickly ended in a coughing fit. Shigure flung a concerned glance and moved her shoulders as though she were about to go to him, but the blond waved her off. "Alright, alright." He admitted, steadying himself. "I promised I'd put in a good word for you, if ya had the balls to show up. Don't expect me to train ya, though, Shirahama. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm starving." Without another word, he allowed himself to be helped inside, guided by Shigure and Akisame. Kenichi didn't even have a chance to try and protest, faced as he was on a sudden by the elder himself.

_'When did he get here?'_

"You have come prepared for this, have you not?" Asked the bushy-bearded giant. Faced with the great mountain of a man.

"I...um...welll...

"Let me ask you again, Shirahama Kenichi-kun." The elder began. "Are you here to join us? Here at Ryouzanpaku?"

Kenichi steeled himself. This was what he wanted. He wanted to become stronger. He was sick and tired of being beaten, battered, and bullied. He wanted strength. Strength, to protect himself, but also to protect others.

"If I can become stronger, yes!"

"Well then, there's just the matter of admission...

Naruto couldn't help gut guffaw as, once inside, the price of admission was swiftly lowered to a mere fraction of the cost within seconds of negotiating with Shirahama's silence. That wasn't fair at all! He'd paid _three times_ as much when he started training here! Naturally, the elder didn't much seem to mind as he explained the situation.

"The truth is that we of Ryouzanpaku is experiencing some financial hardship...

"Really?"

"Well we've managed so far thank to Miu's clever bookkeeping and the occasional odd job Naruto takes on." He stroked a hand through his bushy mustache and flowing beard. "Though most of those tend to become charity cases...

"Charity cases?" Kenichi blinked. "You mean he actually helps people-_yike!"_ He narrowly ducked a bowl of rice, flung at him by Naruto. The Unlikely Disciple was glaring bloody red daggers at them from across the table, armed with another bowl and a pair of chopsticks.

"If you value your life, Shirahama, you won't say another word."

"H-Hai!" Kenichi swallowed, momentarily distracted by a soft beep from his watch. "Say, shouldn't we be going?"

"Eh?" Naruto blinked. "Going where?"

Now it was Kenichi's turn to blink.

"To school!"

"Nah." The blond waved him off. "I'm good."

"But won't you get in trouble if you miss class?"

Naruto paused in mid-bite, as though he realized he'd just revealed a terrible secret. Caught in the act, he whistled innocently.

"I may...have a way around that."

* * *

_(Meanwhile)_

The kage bunshin gave its tail a short, sidelong glance, just long enough to confirm that it was still being tracked. Someone had been following him ever since he'd left Ryouzanpaku for the school grounds. The boss wasn't going to like this. He wasn't going to like this one bit. Taking a series of twists and turns toward a nearby alleyway, he found the girl-her figure was emphatically female-was still tailing him. Banking a hard right, the clone waited until it was certain his pursuer would follow. The sound of footfalls drew close, then closer still; cautious, hesistant and uncertain of their path now that their quarry had escaped.

Abruptly, the clone emerged, leaving its quarry to run smack into its chest.

"Oi!" They yelped aloud, "Watching we're you're going, jackass-oh."

Naruto's clone found itself face to face with a dark-eyed girl, her crimson hair cropped short beneath a green cap. Everything about her; her attire, the way she held herself, even those narrowed orbs and tense posture, screamed delinquent. She peered up at him in srurpise

"Fight me."

_"Huh?"_

"Did I stutter?" The blond shrugged off his jacket, exposing lean, muscular forearms to the sun. "You've been tailing me for at leas three blocks now, and its obvious you're itching for a fight. So, I say again, if you're going to fight someone, it ought to be me, ya know?" Kisara appraised him briefly; he looked lean beneath his school uniform, but looks could be deceving. One look at him, an immovable pivot came to mind. An unbreakable wall of stone. Damn Odin's orders but_...she suddenly wanted to fight this guy! _She'd been told to tail Naruto 'Hurricane' Uzumaki after he'd made that mess of Loki and his duplicates just the other week. Her orders were to follow, but to avoid engagement at all costs.

"Don't come crying to me if you get yourself hurt!"

So much for that plan!

Her kick snapped short against his shin, left rigid by an equally abrupt block. Naruto had merely raised his knee in recompense for her temerity; if, he was at all fazed by her blow, he did precious little to showcase his pain. Balance as he was upon his left leg, he didn't so much as bat an eyelash.

"You're strong." she observed.

"As are you." The blond remarked as they broke away from one another. "For a delinquent."

"So you're not afraid to fight girls?" she asked, hazarding a spinning kick at his head. The blond replied in kind, effortlessly parried her kick with one of his own. _Strong!_ Kisara gasped, wincing as the bones in her leg creaked beneath the strain of sustaning the block. They landed opposite one another; two predators, intent on a single piece of meat. Kisara tucked her body into a roll and came up swinging, her heel colliding violently against the blonde's temple before he could do the same. The student spun with the impact, however, and it was with some trepidation and elation that Kisara saw the back of his hand, carreening toward her face. If she could just manage to dodge-

_Concrete._

Such was her only thought as her face collided with the alley wall, her visage violently smashing up against it, her ears ringing from the open palmed strike. Naruto was on her before she had the chance to recover, locking her arms behind her back, stradling her legs with his own. Damnit! She squirmed furtively against him, trying her level best not to break free from him, as he shoved her back against the wall.

"Fight fair, you ass!"

Abruptly, the blond released her. Kisara stumbled forward and caught herself against the wall.

"J-Jerk." She managed half-heartedly.

Naruto smiled.

"Don't blame me for your short-comings."

"Says the ass!"

The Hurricane_-as Odin called him-_offered another of his foxy grins.

"I will face whomever raises their hand against me." He paused, sent an appreciative glance at her bare thigh, locked against his own. "Or in this case, their leg. Yours are quite lovely, by the way ya know?"

Behind Kisara's pale skin, the slow flushing of her face looked almost like a growing forest fire, and she seemed literally unable to catch her breath. She tugged down her cap just to hide her eyes, just so she wouldn't have to to look at those _smoldering_ blue orbs. _Oh wow._ He was smooth, this guy. Fighting her _and_ hitting on her at the same time? Outside of Ragnarok she'd never met a man capable of both before. Of holding his own against her while at the same time respecting her as a woman. She burned beneath his gaze, color rising in her cheeks to match that of her hair. Unthinking in her exasperation, she lashed out seeking to drive that smug smile from his face, in flustered desperation.

It was a mistake.

The Unlikely Disciple parried, neatly raising a forerarm to endure her axe kick. Balancing flawlessly on a single leg, he met her follow up, with one of his own, their foreheads colliding violently with one another in a vicious headbutt; even as each fighter struggled to stand on a single limb.

"Not bad!" Kisara laughed, grinning widely as she thrust the opposite heel deep at the blonde's stomach. "I like you, boy! You've got some skills!" Naruto riposted, skipping backwards as her heel brushed off his chin. He touched hand to the slight scuff mark there. Frowned, as his eyes drifted shut. _Strange._ Was that orange eyleiner against his eyes? When did that get there? Kisara, really was curious, but she held her tongue all the same as the blond raised his now golden gaze. Something about his eyes-those godamned sexy eyes!-set her hackles on end. Why weren't his eyes blue, anymore? Was he wearing contact lenses? And when did he have time to put _those_ in?

"Should I take that as a compliment?" he asked quietly.

"Doesn't matter to me!" thumbing at her nose, she sneered across at him. "You haven't even been able to touch me yet! Idiot!"

"Is that so?" Naruto disengaged from her with an abrupt flourish, took a single step back, raised his left leg for another assault. "Then please, permit me to tear away that folly."

Kisara's visage screwed up in confusion. The hell was he talking about?

"What're you-

And then it was over.

Her head greeted the ground with alarming swiftness, stars exploding before the black of her vision. Even as she realized she'd been struck between the ribs, he was there; stradling her, pinning her to the ground with the weight of his body. She sucked in a breath, wincing, as her body screamed in protest. Damnitall! No one should be able to move that fast? Not even Odin! Especially not this jackass! Even as the thought flashed through her miind she felt the his hands clamp down upon her wrists and shoulders, dislocating them in the span of an instant. The pain was excruciating in the worst of ways...

_...fucking shit!_

Kisara tried to cry out, but even that was denied her; the clone had already gagged her with a dirty cloth. She tugged at it with her teeth, and succeeded only marginally in loosening the thick and heavy cloth. She could feel his hands on her face now; could see him now, as he forced her to look him in the eye. They were sapphire once more she noted, not that strange, eerie saffron. Kisara shrieked at him through the gag, her cheeks flaming as she str

**"Checkmate," **Naruto breathed, his breath warm in her ear, hot on her face. "Kisara-chan." He swatted her once on the ass as he rose, eliciting a sputtering blush from the redhead. How dare he do such a thing! She turned her head to glare bloody red daggers at him, helpless as he breezed past her. She tore at the gag with renwered fervor, managed to work it free enough to speak; to spit at his retreating form.

"I won't forget this, asshole!"

"If you manage to get out of that, I just might be willing to teach you." he mused aloud, apparently uncaring. "But for now, I'm late for class."

"Teach me what?!" She screamed at his back, but to no avail. The blond raised a hand in lazy farewell and then he was gone.

"Ja ne, Kisara-chan."

It didn't occur to Kisara until sometime later that she'd never bothered to tell him her name. So...

...how the fuck did he know it? More importantly...

_...why did she care?_

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed it! Seems Naruto's made himself an enemy in Ragnarok...and a potential rival/apprentice in Kisara. He didn't NEED Sage Mode to defeat her, he was merely trying to make a point; the difference of power/resolve between them. Still not quite sure if this is a harem, though. We'll jump into the full swing of things next chappy! And...with that that I'm off! So, in the immortal words of Atlas... **

**...would you kindly review?**


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